Sikh artist uses humour to remove prejudices about his community

Post 9/11, Sikhs faced discrimination and attacks because of their appearance, so he started sketching about this issue.

SikhPark, a cartoon created by a Sikh artist making fun of Sikhs, has gained much traction on social media.

Created by Delhi-based ad film-maker Dalbir Singh, who has worked with some of the biggest advertising agencies like Ogilvy and JWT, the cartoons take on racial and cultural prejudices that Sikhs have faced in the West since 9/11.

"Sikhs sometimes face discrimination and attacks because of their appearance and turbans, which some people mistakenly end up identifying with groups like the Taliban. So I started sketching on this issue in 2007," he told BBC.

What began as an effort to spread cultural awareness has now turned into a humorous take on the everyday life of a Sikh man or woman.

Singh showcased his work at the Delhi ComicCon earlier in December this year.

"Sikh men are quite often asked funny questions about their turban, so a good number of my cartoons are about this topic," he added. "Humour is a great instrument to comment on social issues. And one should always be ready to take a joke or two."

Humour, he also said, shouldn't hurt religious sentiments.

The funnyman also disagreed with lawyers who had filed a court case asking for a ban on Sikh jokes.

The court case, filed in the Supreme Court by 54-year-old lawyer Harvinder Chowdhury, seeks a ban on jokes on her community as they "violate the fundamental right to life and to live with dignity," she said.